Surgical microscope having an object field illumination system

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a surgical microscope ( 2, 3, 5 ) having a novel laser illumination system ( 11 ) and, in a preferred embodiment, an arrangement in which a diffractive element ( 7 ) produces an additional illuminating beam and a measurement beam.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority of the German patent application 103 09 971.9 filed Mar. 7, 2003 which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention concerns a surgical microscope having an object field illumination system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A “surgical microscope” is to be understood, for purposes of the invention, as a surgical microscope for magnified visual depiction of an object field for an observer using an eyepiece.

[0004] A wide variety of light sources are used to illuminate the object field in surgical microscopes, for example halogen lamps, incandescent lamps, discharge lamps. The use of laser diodes for analysis, diagnosis, and therapy (e.g. retinal treatments) is common at present. Lasers are also known for control and measurement purposes on surgical microscopes, e.g. for automatic focusing.

[0005] Lasers are unknown, however, for illumination purposes as a light source for object field illumination in surgical microscopes. The disadvantage arising therefrom is that alongside a laser for the aforesaid analytical and diagnostic purposes, a conventional illumination system is additionally necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Resulting therefrom is a first partial object upon which the invention is based.

[0007] This partial object is achieved by making available a laser having suitable light output as a light source for an object field illumination system.

[0008] In order to achieve appropriate illumination intensities in the object field, lasers having a relatively high power level must therefore be used. In the context of similarly intense high-output lamps and discharge lamps, it is known on the one hand that regulation of the illumination intensity leads to problems with heat dissipation when absorption filters are used; and on the other hand that with pinholes, which are more temperature-stable, their hole structure is imaged in the illuminated field. Lasers, in contrast, are advantageous because their actual light source can be located relatively remotely from the surgical microscope, and the heat evolution of the light source is thus likewise remote. If the laser beam needs to be attenuated in the region of the surgical microscope, however, problems comparable to those with high-output lamps and discharge lamps usually occur.

[0009] To eliminate these disadvantages while simultaneously equipping a surgical microscope with a high-power, controllable illumination system, the second partial object that presented itself was thus that of finding a laser illumination system which meets the specific operating requirements of a surgical microscope.

[0010] The inventor has recognized that the use and the integration according to the present invention of a high-power laser, in combination with a so-called diffractive beam attenuator, into a surgical microscope offers a good way to achieve the stated second partial object. Such diffractive beam attenuators have not hitherto been used for illumination purposes. According to the present invention, monochromatic or white-light lasers can be used.

[0011] By means of a controllable diffractive beam attenuator, the light intensity in the (zero-order) illuminating beam can be regulated in the illuminating beam itself without heat dissipation problems. The reason for this is that light quantities that have been diffracted and thus subtracted energetically from the illuminating beam can be annihilated in absorbers that can be placed at suitable locations at which any heat generation is not troublesome.

[0012] Diffractive beam attenuators for high-power lasers—for example that of TOPAG Lasertechnik GmbH, Darmstadt, cf. TOPAG information sheet: “Diffractive Variable Attenuators for High Power Lasers,” 2 pages, publication date unknown; also published in “Physik Journal” 1 (2002) no. 10, page 61—have hitherto been used in the following sectors: material handling or processing (e.g. marking or surface scanning), laser applications, photometry, optical research, and in holographic applications, but not for illumination regulation of an object field illumination system in a surgical microscope.

[0013] The inventor has recognized, in particular, that irrespective of these specific laser applications, in the event a laser is used, the beam attenuation system and, in particular, its controllability by means of a diffractive optical element can be utilized optimally for illumination of a surgical microscope.

[0014] The operating principle of the aforementioned diffractive beam attenuator is that by diffraction of an input beam I_(input) (beam from the laser light source), the maximum intensity of input beam I_(input) is split into a remaining residual beam I_(output) and into beams diffracted into the +/− first order or higher orders. Diffractions of +/− second and +/− third and higher orders are not preferred. In one of the exemplary embodiments, the diffracted beams are annihilated in an absorber; output beam I_(output) is constituted from the correspondingly attenuated input beam I_(input). A regulated residual beam I_(output) is thus available, depending on the selection of the diffractive structure. The intensity of this beam can be regulated from I_(max)=I_(input) (for the case of no diffraction) to I_(min)≈0. Stepless regulation is possible with the use of appropriate diffractive structures. Reference is made at www.topag.de to the embodiment of the diffractive elements. Those skilled in the art of laser engineering are also familiar, however, with other methods for diffractive beam attenuation that are likewise usable in the context of the invention (e.g. blaze gratings).

[0015] The integration, according to the present invention, of a laser and a diffractive component into a surgical microscope thus makes available a high-power, controllable illumination system.

[0016] The inventor has, however, additionally recognized that the diffracted beams of +/− first or higher order need not necessarily be annihilated, but rather can be considered as additional illumination. A preferred embodiment of the invention thus provides for an optionally introducible direct lateral object illumination using a first-order illuminating beam.

[0017] A further preferred embodiment of the invention measures one of the diffracted beams of +/− first or higher order by means of a sensor, and thus provides a direct indication as to the intensity of the zero-order (main) illuminating beam. Provision is optionally made for this measurement information to be presented on a display, which optionally can be reflected into the field of view of the observer looking through the eyepieces, as he or she desires, at a favorable location in the surgical microscope.

[0018] Further embodiments of the invention are shown in the Figures and covered in the dependent claims.

[0019] The Parts List is a constituent of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The invention will be explained further, symbolically and by way of example, with reference to the schematic Figures. The Figures are described in continuous and overlapping fashion. Identical reference characters denote identical components; reference characters having different indices indicate similar or functionally identical components. In the Figures:

[0021]FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a surgical microscope having a laser light source as illumination system;

[0022]FIG. 2 shows the configuration of FIG. 1 into which a diffractive beam splitter is integrated and in which both (all) diffracted beams are annihilated;

[0023]FIG. 3 shows the configuration according to FIG. 2 in which one symmetrical half of the diffracted beams is annihilated and the other provides additional direct object illumination;

[0024]FIG. 4 shows the configuration according to FIG. 2 in which one symmetrical half of the diffracted beams is annihilated and the other is provided for controlling and reflecting image information into the surgical microscope; and

[0025]FIG. 5 shows a combined configuration according to FIGS. 3 and 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026]FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a surgical microscope 3 having a tube 5 with eyepieces. Axis 15 of a main objective 2 is simultaneously depicted as the main axis of surgical microscope 3. Illuminating beam 14 deriving from a laterally arranged laser light source 11 can be pulsed or closed by means of an optionally arranged shutter 9 a. The shutter is shown in the vicinity of surgical microscope 3, but it could also be arranged remotely from it in order to keep any thermal problems away from surgical microscope 3.

[0027] An illuminating optical system 8 a, depicted representatively by means of a lens symbol, influences the illuminating beam geometry. This element can comprise an optical system that widens the collimated laser beam 14, or a pinhole arrangement; and after deflection by deflection element 16 it images the illuminating light onto object field 1.

[0028] A scanning device that scans the laser beam over object field 1, and thus produces full-area illumination without imaging optics, could also be provided instead of illuminating optical system 8 a.

[0029] In FIG. 2, the configuration according to FIG. 1 is supplemented by the integration of a diffractive element 7 into illuminating beam 14. An illuminating beam 14 is provided through an opening 21 of absorber 19 a, as in FIG. 1, for object field illumination through main objective 2. The diffracted beams of +/− first or higher order, symbolically depicted by axes 18 a and 18 b, are absorbed in absorber 19 a. By means of a manual or electronic control system 20 arranged on surgical microscope 3, the output power of laser light source 11 can be influenced by way of an electronic data processing system 13, and/or diffractive element 7 can be regulated, for light attenuation, by way of a driving system 12. Connecting leads are labeled 22 a-c.

[0030]FIG. 3 shows the same arrangement as in FIG. 2, except that in this development according to the present invention a portion of the diffracted beams of first or higher order (plus or minus, depicted e.g. by axis 18 b) is provided for additional direct object illumination. Similarly to (main) illuminating beam 14, this first-order illuminating beam 18 b is also optionally equipped with a shutter 9 b and an imaging illuminating optical system 8 b or a scanning device.

[0031] Multi-beam illumination can be achieved with this arrangement by the fact that the +/− first- or higher-order beam having axis 18 b is not annihilated by the absorber. Object 1 that is to be illuminated can thus be simultaneously and selectably illuminated at various angles, utilizing absorbing shutters 9 a and 9 b.

[0032]FIG. 4 depicts a further aspect of the invention. Beams of +/− first order 18 a or 18 b can also be used as information carriers. They are an indication of the attenuation of input beam I_(input). If the +/− first-order beam is conveyed to a sensor 10, the attenuation actually present can be measured and can be displayed by way of an electronic processing system 13 on a display 6, or can also be reflected into surgical microscope 3, using deflection element 17, in an information overlay apparatus 4.

[0033] Information display can be switched off by way of a shutter 9 c or an electronic shutoff system or by pivoting deflection element 17 out.

[0034] Also depicted in FIG. 4 is a variant embodiment of the invention that dispenses with the additional direct illumination presented in FIG. 3. This is implemented by the fact that absorber 19 c is configured in such a way that it absorbs the first-order beam having axis 18 b.

[0035]FIG. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the embodiments of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are combined with one another.

Parts List

[0036]1 Object or object field

[0037]2 Main objective

[0038]3 Surgical microscope body, surgical microscope

[0039]4 Information overlay apparatus

[0040]5 Tube with eyepieces

[0041]6 Display

[0042]7 Diffractive element

[0043]8 a, b Illuminating optical system

[0044]9 a, b, c Shutters

[0045]10 Sensor

[0046]11 Laser light source

[0047]12 Driving system of (7)

[0048]13 Electronic data processing system

[0049]14 Axis of (2)

[0050]15 Axis of (2)

[0051]16 Deflection element for zero-order illumination through (2)

[0052]17 Deflection element for data overlay

[0053]1 8 a, b Axis of +/− first-order illumination

[0054]19 a, b, c Absorbers

[0055]20 Control system

[0056]21 Opening

[0057]22 a, b, c Connecting leads 

What is claimed is:
 1. A surgical microscope system having a light source for object field illumination, wherein the light source is a laser light source emitting a laser beam.
 2. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 1, further comprising an illuminating optical system arranged after the laser light source for widening and imaging the laser beam.
 3. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a scanning device arranged after the laser light source for scanning deflection of the laser beam over the object field.
 4. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 2, further comprising a diffractive element arranged after the laser light source for splitting the laser beam into a zero-order illuminating beam and a first- or higher-order illuminating beam.
 5. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 4, further comprising at least one absorber arranged after the diffractive element to receive the first- or higher-order beam.
 6. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 4, wherein the illuminating optical system receives the zero-order illuminating beam, and the surgical microscope system further comprises a second illuminating optical system arranged after the diffractive element for receiving the first- or higher-order beam.
 7. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 6, further comprising a surgical microscope body, a main objective, and a deflection element within the surgical microscope body, wherein the zero-order illuminating beam is directed from the illuminating optical system onto the deflection element which deflects the zero-order illuminating beam through the main objective onto the object field.
 8. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 7, wherein the second illuminating optical system is arranged next to the surgical microscope body and images the first- or higher-order beam obliquely onto the object field.
 9. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 4, further comprising a shutter after the diffractive element for blocking the zero-order illuminating beam in pulsed fashion.
 10. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 4, further comprising a shutter after the diffractive element for blocking the first- or higher-order illuminating beam in pulsed fashion.
 11. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 4, further comprising a sensor arranged to measure the intensity of the first- or higher-order illuminating beam.
 12. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 11, further comprising an electronic data processing system connected to the laser light source for driving the laser light source, wherein the sensor is connected to the electronic data processing system.
 13. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 11, further comprising a display device for displaying the illumination beam intensity, wherein the sensor is connected to the display device.
 14. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 13, wherein an image of the display device is reflected via a deflection element into an observation beam path of the surgical microscope system.
 15. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 4, wherein the diffractive element is controllable for arbitrary division of the laser beam into zero-order illuminating beams of various intensities.
 16. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 15, further comprising an electronic driving system connected to the diffractive element and to the electronic data processing system, wherein the electronic data processing system controls the electronic driving system.
 17. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 15, wherein the diffractive element is a diffractive variable beam attenuator.
 18. The surgical microscope system as defined in claim 2, wherein the illuminating optical system is corrected only for the light wavelength of the laser light source.
 19. A method of illuminating an object field of a surgical microscope, comprising the step of: energizing a laser light source to illuminate the object field.
 20. A method of illuminating an object field of a surgical microscope, comprising the steps of: energizing a laser light source to provide an illuminating beam; operating a diffractive laser beam attenuator in the path of the illuminating beam to regulate the illuminating beam; and directing regulated light from the illuminating beam onto the object field. 